Tire monitor system with spring retention clip
A tire monitoring apparatus, for mounting on a vehicle wheel that is configured to have a tire mounted thereon and that has a first opening, includes a tire monitor for monitoring a tire parameter. The tire monitor includes a housing having a second opening. A tire valve stem is configured to extend through the first and second openings, and the valve stem has an aperture. The apparatus further includes a clip that is configured to be inserted into the aperture and engage the housing to attach together the tire monitor and the valve stem.
Latest Lear Corporation Patents:
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an attachment mechanism for a tire monitoring system.
2. Background Art
Tire monitoring systems are designed to monitor a tire parameter, such as tire pressure, and may be configured to be attached to a vehicle wheel. Examples of prior attachment mechanisms for use with tire monitoring systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,844,131 and 6,055,855.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONUnder the invention, a tire monitoring apparatus is provided for mounting on a vehicle wheel that is configured to have a tire mounted thereon, wherein the wheel has a first opening. The apparatus includes a tire monitor for monitoring a tire parameter, and the tire monitor includes a housing having a second opening. A tire valve stem is configured to extend through the first and second openings, and the valve stem has an aperture. The apparatus further includes a clip that is configured to be inserted into the aperture and engage the housing to attach together the tire monitor and the valve stem.
Further under the invention, a tire monitoring apparatus is provided for mounting on a vehicle wheel that is configured to have a tire mounted thereon, wherein the wheel has a first opening. The apparatus includes a tire monitor for sensing pressure in the tire. The tire monitor includes a housing having a cylindrical surface and a second opening that extends through the cylindrical surface. A tire inflator valve assembly is configured to extend through the first and second openings, and has a longitudinal axis and first and second ends. The valve assembly further includes a threaded portion disposed proximate the first end, and an aperture disposed proximate the second end. The apparatus further includes a clip having a main body and a cantilevered portion extending from the main body. The cantilevered portion is configured to be inserted into the aperture of the valve assembly such that the cantilevered portion extends generally transverse to the axis of the valve assembly. The main body of the clip has a cylindrical surface that is engageable with the cylindrical surface of the housing of the tire monitor when the cantilevered portion is inserted into the aperture of the valve assembly. A threaded fastener is engageable with the threaded portion of the valve assembly for drawing the main body of the clip against the cylindrical surface of the housing of the tire monitor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The tire monitor 18 includes one or more monitoring devices, such as one or more sensors 22, for monitoring one or more tire parameters, such as tire pressure, temperature, location, status (i.e., whether or not the tire 14 is in motion) and/or speed. The tire monitor 18 may also include one or more transmitters 23 in communication with the sensors 22 for transmitting data signals representing information concerning the one or more tire parameters to a receiver (not shown). For example, the tire monitor 18 may be configured to sense pressure in the tire 14, and provide a signal that is indicative of the sensed pressure to the receiver. If the air pressure in the tire 14 reduces below a predetermined threshold, the tire monitor 18 may provide a signal to the receiver that actuates an alarm, such as a light on a vehicle instrument panel, to apprise a vehicle occupant of the pressure reduction.
The tire monitor 18 includes a housing 24 for receiving the sensors 22 and/or transmitters 23. The housing 24 defines a pocket 25 for receiving a portion of the valve assembly 20 and the clip 21. Referring to
The housing 24 may also be provided with a projection, such as tab 30, that is engageable with the clip 21 to further retain the clip 21 in the pocket 25, as explained below in detail. Moreover, in the embodiment shown in
As shown in
Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
When the cantilevered portion 62 is inserted into the aperture 48 of the valve stem 35, the cantilevered portion 62 extends generally transverse to the axis 36 of the valve stem 35. As shown in
The outer portions 66 of the main body 60 each have an engaging surface, such as a cylindrical surface 68, that is engageable with the cylindrical surface 32 of the housing 24 when the cantilevered portion 62 is inserted into the aperture 48 of the valve stem 35. Alternatively, each outer portion 66 may have any suitable engaging surface that is engageable with the valve stem 35. For example, if the valve stem 35 has a spherical engaging surface, each outer portion 66 may be provided with a complimentary spherical engaging surface.
As shown in
While the clip 21 may be made of any suitable material and in any suitable manner, in one embodiment of the invention, the clip 21 is made of stamped metal, such as spring steel.
Referring to
A seal 76 may also be positioned between the wheel 12 and the valve stem 35 to inhibit passage of air around the valve stem 35. While the seal 76 may have any suitable configuration, in the embodiment shown in
The apparatus 10 may be assembled together and mounted on the wheel 12 in any suitable manner. For example, referring to
Next, the seal 76 may be inserted into the first opening 16 of the wheel 12 such that the wheel extends between the flange portions 80 and 82. The first end 44 of the valve stem 35 may then be inserted through the seal 76 such that the first and second threaded portions 40 and 42, respectively, extend beyond an exterior surface of the wheel 12. The sleeve portion 84 preferably facilitates sliding movement of the valve stem 35 relative to the seal 76.
Advantageously, the angular orientation of the valve stem 35 may be adjusted with respect to the housing 24 so that the valve assembly 20 and housing 24 may conform to various wheel configurations. For example, the valve stem 35 may be pivoted with respect to the housing 24 such that the first end 44 of the valve stem 35 disposed outside of the wheel 12 may move upwardly or downwardly with respect to the position shown in
With the configuration described above, the tire monitor 18 may be attached to the valve assembly 20 by sliding the clip 21 into the pocket 25, without requiring rotation of the clip 21 or valve stem 35. As a result, the apparatus 10 may be assembled quickly, while still providing adjustability to conform to various wheel configurations.
While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A tire monitoring apparatus for mounting on a vehicle wheel that is configured to have a tire mounted thereon, the wheel having an opening, the apparatus comprising:
- a tire monitor for sensing a tire parameter, the tire monitor including a housing having an opening;
- a tire valve stem that is configured to extend through the opening in the wheel and the opening in the housing, the valve stem having an aperture; and
- a clip that is configured to be inserted into the aperture and engage the housing to attach together the tire monitor and the valve stem.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the aperture includes first and second portions, the first portion being configured to receive the clip, and the second portion being configured to allow air to pass around the clip to thereby allow air to travel through the valve stem.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first portion of the aperture comprises a generally rectangular slot, and the second portion of the aperture comprises a groove disposed adjacent to the slot.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the clip comprises a top portion and a cantilevered portion extending from the top portion, the cantilevered portion being configured to extend into the aperture of the valve stem.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cantilevered portion comprises a curved section that is configured to extend into the aperture of the valve stem.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the clip includes an opening, and the housing of the tire monitor includes a tab that extends into the opening of the clip when the clip is inserted into the aperture of the valve stem.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing of the tire monitor comprises a cylindrical surface, and the clip comprises a cylindrical surface that is engageable with the cylindrical surface of the housing when the clip is inserted into the aperture of the valve stem.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing of the tire monitor includes a pocket for receiving the clip and multiple ribs that are configured to allow the clip to slide into the pocket.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each rib comprises a curved surface that is configured to provide a line of contact between the rib and the clip.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the clip comprises two outer portions and an inner portion spaced away from the outer portions, the inner portion being configured to be inserted into the aperture of the valve stem, and the outer portions being configured to engage the housing of the tire monitor when the inner portion is inserted into the aperture of the valve stem.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the valve stem includes a threaded portion, and the apparatus further comprises a threaded fastener that is engageable with the threaded portion of the valve stem and the wheel to thereby draw the clip against the housing of the tire monitor.
12. A tire monitoring apparatus for mounting on a vehicle wheel that is configured to have a tire mounted thereon, the wheel having an opening, the apparatus comprising:
- a tire monitor for sensing pressure in the tire, the tire monitor having a housing with a cylindrical surface, the housing further having an opening that extends through the cylindrical surface;
- a tire inflator valve assembly that is configured to extend through the opening in the wheel and the opening in the housing, the valve assembly having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, the valve assembly further having a threaded portion disposed proximate the first end, and an aperture disposed proximate the second end;
- a clip having a main body and a cantilevered portion extending from the main body, the cantilevered portion being configured to be inserted into the aperture of the valve assembly such that the cantilevered portion extends generally transverse to the axis of the valve assembly, the main body having a cylindrical surface that is engageable with the cylindrical surface of the housing of the tire monitor when the cantilevered portion is inserted into the aperture of the valve assembly; and
- a threaded fastener that is engageable with the threaded portion of the valve assembly for drawing the main body of the clip against the cylindrical surface of the housing of the tire monitor.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing has a pocket for receiving the clip, and the clip is insertable into the pocket after the valve stem has been inserted through the opening of the housing.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the valve stem has a longitudinal axis, and the clip has a cantilevered portion that is configured to be inserted into the aperture of the valve stem such that the cantilevered portion extends generally transverse to the axis of the valve stem.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the clip includes one of a tab and a tab-receiving opening, and the housing of the tire monitor includes the other of the tab and the tab-receiving opening, and wherein the tab is configured to extend into the tab-receiving opening when the clip is inserted into the aperture of the valve stem to retain the clip in the aperture.
16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the aperture of the valve assembly includes first and second portions, the first portion being configured to receive the cantilevered portion of the clip, and the second portion being configured to allow air to pass around the cantilevered portion of the clip to thereby allow air to travel through the valve assembly.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first portion of the aperture comprises a generally rectangular slot, and the second portion of the aperture comprises a groove disposed adjacent to the slot.
18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the main body of the clip includes an opening, and the housing of the tire monitor includes a tab that extends into the opening of the main body when the cantilevered portion of the clip is inserted into the aperture of the valve assembly.
19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the housing of the tire monitor includes a pocket for receiving the clip and multiple ribs that are configured to allow the clip to slide into the pocket.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein each rib comprises a curved surface that is configured to provide a line of contact between the rib and the clip.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 24, 2003
Publication Date: Apr 28, 2005
Applicant: Lear Corporation (Southfield, MI)
Inventor: Michael Uleski (Roseville, MI)
Application Number: 10/692,975